avondale training journal, starting Dec. 2018 (comments welcome)

[avondale]

Week of Mar. 16 - 22, 2026

This week was week 12 of 17 of my training plan for the On the Dam 30k trail race on April 25, 2026. This was a cut-back week. It was also my spring break week, so I visited my mother in northwestern PA for a few days. The day I drove up there, they started at about 60 F, then it rained an dropped to low-40sF by the time I got there, then we got a couple hours of sleet, then multiple inches of snow! It never got above freezing until right about the time I was leaving! WHHYY??

Monday before breakfast: walk on treadmill

• time: 1:29:48
• distance: 4.82 mi
• average pace: 18:38
• incline: 1%
• comments: After breakfast, I drove to my mother's to begin the lovely weather described above.

Tuesday morning: walk on treadmill

• time: 1:22:15
• distance: 4.75 mi
• average pace: 17:19
• incline: 1%
• comments: I did this at the YMCA since we got snow!!!

Wednesday before lunch:

• 50 min easy
  • T+D 35, no effect, T 24 F, WC 12 F - windy!
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 4.23 mi
  • average pace: 11:49 (GAP ave pace: 11:46)
  • splits: 11:51, 11:57, 11:45, 11:45, 11:39
  • ave HR: 127 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 118 ft (corrected)
  • route: Allegheny River Trail
  • comments: This route was paved, so it was not a trail run.
  • comments: There had been enough Sun to melt the snow on the pavement even though it still wasn't above freezing, so at least I could run. Strong headwind the whole way outbound, but at least that was a tailwind on the way back.

Thursday before dinner:

• Speed intervals -- 15 min easy + 10 x (1 min fast + 1 min easy) + 15 min easy
  • T+D 89, no effect, T 55
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 4.47 mi
  • interval splits: 8:53, 8:55, 9:05, 8:50, 8:16, 8:47, 8:37, 8:16, 8:59, 8:35
  • elevation gain: 128 ft (corrected)
  • route: Sligo Creek Trail
  • comments: This route was paved, so it was not a trail run.
  • comments: So nice to be home in beautiful spring weather!

Friday before dinner:

• 50 min easy on trail
  • T+D 109, 0.5% effect, T 70 F
  • time: 50:01
  • distance: 4.04 mi
  • average pace: 12:23 (GAP ave pace: 12:19)
  • splits: 12:25, 12:27, 12:21, 12:20
  • ave HR: 133 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 285 ft (corrected)
  • route: Northwest Branch Trail
  • comments: This was a very nice easy pace for me on this trail - maybe my new shoes helped? LOL

Saturday

• Before lunch:
  • Agility HIIT workout - warm-up + 3 x 8 x (20 sec work + 20 sec rest) + 4 min rest). The exercises were:
    • Fast feet forward/back in ladder
    • Forward/back hop
    • Fast feet in/out in ladder
    • Sprint/backpedal
    • Fast feet forward through ladder
    • Left/right hop
    • Fast feet sideways through ladder
    • Side shuffle
    • comments: This used my agility ladder.
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• Before dinner:
  • 120 min LR on trail
    • T+D 119, 1% effect, T 69 F
    • time: 2:00:00
    • distance: 8.72 mi
    • average pace: 13:46 (GAP ave pace: 13:22)
    • splits: 12:48, 12:34, 13:44, 15:14, 15:39, 13:59, 13:33, 12:41, 13:34,
    • ave HR: 136 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 614 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park
    • comments: There were two miles that were very technical surface along with rolling hills, so they really slow me down. Otherwise, the other parts were a pretty decent pace. It always amuses me that the most technical trail that I run in the area is in DC!
    • comments: See photos for the technical parts - all photos show the trail going pretty much through the middle of the photo (even the selfie shows the trail behind me).
    • comments: I took 1.5 L of water + Nuun and drank a lot of it. I ate one serving of dried apricots, one serving of dried pineapple, and one serving of Teddy Grahams.
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Sunday before dinner:

• 60 min downs & ups on trail -- warm-up, multiple times running down a steep hill and power-hiking up it, then cool-down
  • T+D 124, 1.5% effect, T 74
  • time: 1:00:00
  • distance: 4.08 mi
  • downhill splits: 11:51, 12:11, 11:38, 11:57, 11:39, 11:39
  • uphill splits: 19:26, 19:32, 19:49, 20:06, 19:44, forgot to lap the last one
  • elevation gain: 749 ft (corrected)
  • route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
  • comments: The hill was 10 - 15% grade and 0.17 mi long. I hit the lap button at the top and bottom each time, but I think I forgot to do it on the last uphill. This was not a lot of fun.
• Walking - Rock Creek Trail
  • time: 52:22
  • distance: 3.01 mi
  • average pace: 17:23
  • comments: Just to get more steps and time on my feet, plus a Garmin badge.

Health

No changes/issues.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

60 min downs & ups on trail -- warm-up, multiple times running down a steep hill and power-hiking up it, then cool-down

• T+D 124, 1.5% effect, T 74
• time: 1:00:00
• distance: 4.08 mi
• downhill splits: 11:51, 12:11, 11:38, 11:57, 11:39, 11:39
• uphill splits: 19:26, 19:32, 19:49, 20:06, 19:44, forgot to lap the last one
• elevation gain: 749 ft (corrected)
• route: Western Ridge Trail, Rock Creek National Park
• comments: The hill was 10 - 15% grade and 0.17 mi long. I hit the lap button at the top and bottom each time, but I think I forgot to do it on the last uphill. This was not a lot of fun.

This was me doing downhill work during marathon training last year - it sounds great, and then you do it and it kind of sucks, lol.

 

[avondale]

This was me doing downhill work during marathon training last year - it sounds great, and then you do it and it kind of sucks, lol.

LOL, I knew it would suck...because with a 15% grade hill, what's not to suck? But if I do decide to do the TransRockies Run, one leg of that has a 20% grade uphill for 2.5 miles ...starting at 9000 ft but about 12,000 ft at the top! So I have to do the work for that.

 

[avondale]

Week of Mar. 23 - 29, 2026

This week was week 13 of 17 of my training plan for the On the Dam 30k trail race on April 25, 2026.

I've been thinking hard about the TransRockies Run and my next year of racing plans. I'm still worried that I do not have enough preparation in either distance or vert to go from a relatively easy 30k trail race in late April to the 3 days and 50+ mi and 6000 ft vert in July for the TransRockies Run. More recently, reasons have developed that I shouldn't be dropping so much money on that race this year.

I think what I'm going to do is to push the TransRockies Run to next year (hopefully they do it again). I will do a hilly HM trail race in early October (I'm looking at The Mo Fall HM in Ohio on Oct. 10), which will give me time to really train for a trail marathon to run in the time frame Mar 15 - Apr 15, 2027. Being trained up for a marathon distance will give me a lot less distance building work to be doing in Apr - July leading up to the TransRockies Run, so at that point, I can more focus on maintaining distance, time on my feet, and working on vert.

Monday

• Before breakfast:
  • Unilateral strength
    • 2 x 15 each leg - straight leg reverse lunges with 20-lbe vest + 20 lb
    • 10 each leg - isometric step-up, 10-sec hold
    • 2 x 15 each leg - heel taps from low step with 20-lb vest + 5 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - single-leg Romanian deadlifts with 5 lb
    • 2 x 15 each leg - hip airplanes with 10 lb
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:30:16
  • distance: 5.22 mi
  • average pace: 17:18
  • incline: 1%

Tuesday

• Before breakfast: Upper Body Strength
  • Superset
    • 3 x 10 - triceps push-ups with 20-lb vest
    • 3 x 5 - dumbbell reverse-grip rows with 27.5 lb each arm
    • 3 x 5 - dumbbell pull-overs with 35 lb
  • Superset
    • 3 x 1 - unassisted chin-ups
    • 3 x 5 - front raises with 15 lb each arm
    • 3 x 5 - back flyes with 15 lb each arm
    • 3 x 5 - deep swimmer's press with 15 lb each arm
• After work
  • 60 min easy on trail
    • T+D 68, no effect, T 51 F
    • time: 1:00:03
    • distance: 4.77 mi
    • average pace: 12:36 (GAP ave pace: 12:26)
    • splits: 12:54, 12:34, 12:29, 12:43, 12:15
    • ave HR: 130 BPM - within my target range
    • elevation gain: 249 ft (corrected)
    • route: Valley Trail, Rock Creek National Park

Wednesday

• Before breakfast: Core
  • 90-sec plank with 20-lb vest
  • 20 starfish
  • 20 dead bug
  • 20 bird dogs
  • 20 each side flutter kicks
  • 20 bicycle crunch with hold
  • 5 - 10-sec hollow-body holds
  • 2 - 30-sec side planks with arm and leg raised
  • 20 double-leg lift/lowers
• After work:
  • Hill repeat HIIT - 13 min easy + 3 x [7 x 20 sec spring uphill + 20 sec walk downhill) + 4 min walk]
    • T+D 88, no effect, T 58 F - a little windy
    • time: 40:01
    • distance: 2.9 mi
    • interval splits: 9.02, 9:27, 9:36, 8:59, 8:40, 9:09, 9:37, 8:07, 8:45, 9:30, 9:06, 9:05, 9:02, 9:17, 8:22, 8:35, 9:10, 8:44, 9:01, 8:38, 9:14
    • elevation gain: 198 ft (corrected)
    • route: neighborhood loop 1

Thursday

• Before breakfast: foam rolling and stretching
• After work:
  • Speed intervals on trail - 15 min easy + 10 x (1 min fast + 1 min easy) + 15 min easy
    • T+D 132, 2.5% effect, 78 F
    • time: 50:01
    • distance: 4.41 mi
    • speed interval splits: 8:50, 9:12, 8:39, 8:42, 8:25, 8:38, 8:39, 8:24, 8:41, 8:35
    • elevation gain: 110 ft (corrected)
    • route: Sligo Creek Trail
    • comments: This route was paved, so it was not a trail run.
    • comments: I accidentally did the same run as last week. I updated the workout on my phone to 90-sec intervals, but I forgot to send it to my watch. By the time I realized it, I was at the end of the warm-up and didn't want to try to fix things. It's not the end of the world.

Friday

• Before breakfast:
  • Workout 1
    • 3 x 5 - suitcase squats with 60 lb + 20-lb vest
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - lat pull-downs with 49-lb bands
      • 3 x 5 - bench presses with 60 lb
    • 3 x 5 - Romanian deadlifts with 60 lb
    • superset
      • 3 x 5 - shoulder presses with 42.5 lb
      • 3 x 5 - band pull-aparts with 13-lb band
  • Foam rolling and stretching
• After work: walk on treadmill
  • time: 1:26:53
  • distance: 5.07 mi
  • average pace: 17:08
  • incline: 1%

Saturday before dinner: walk outside

• time: 1:29:44
• distance; 5.12 mi
• average pace: 17:31
• elevation gain: 190 ft (corrected)
• route: Sligo Creek Trail
• comments: I had a work event earlier in the day, which messed up my scheduling. I usually do my long trail run on Saturdays.

Sunday before dinner:

• 210 min LR on trail
  • At start: T+D 78, no effect, T 55 F. At end: T+D 88, no effect, T 62 F. Windy!
  • time: 3:30:15
  • distance: 15.09 mi
  • average pace: 13:56 (GAP ave pace: 13:27)
  • splits: 14:00, 13:03, 13:30, 13:20, 12:58, 13:24, 14:40, 13:19, 15:17, 13:41, 13:51, 14:03, 14:13, 15:16, 13:49
  • ave HR: 137 BPM - within my target range
  • elevation gain: 1374 ft (corrected)
  • route: Seneca Greenway Trail
  • comments: I took 1.5 L of water + Nuun and drank all of it. I took 1 L of water and drank most of it. I ate one serving of Teddy Grahams, two servings of dried pineapple, one serving of dried apricots, two Honey Stinger waffles, and one serving of M&Ms.
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Health

No changes. My knees have been handling the increased distance well.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I've been thinking hard about the TransRockies Run and my next year of racing plans. I'm still worried that I do not have enough preparation in either distance or vert to go from a relatively easy 30k trail race in late April to the 3 days and 50+ mi and 6000 ft vert in July for the TransRockies Run. More recently, reasons have developed that I shouldn't be dropping so much money on that race this year.

I think what I'm going to do is to push the TransRockies Run to next year (hopefully they do it again). I will do a hilly HM trail race in early October (I'm looking at The Mo Fall HM in Ohio on Oct. 10), which will give me time to really train for a trail marathon to run in the time frame Mar 15 - Apr 15, 2027. Being trained up for a marathon distance will give me a lot less distance building work to be doing in Apr - July leading up to the TransRockies Run, so at that point, I can more focus on maintaining distance, time on my feet, and working on vert.

Sorry you won't be able to do the TransRockies Run this year, but hopefully it works out better next year! It sounds like a cool event.

I accidentally did the same run as last week. I updated the workout on my phone to 90-sec intervals, but I forgot to send it to my watch. By the time I realized it, I was at the end of the warm-up and didn't want to try to fix things. It's not the end of the world.

I have also done this.